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This page was
last updated:
February 21, 2013

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING NEWSLETTER

Group Program at St. Francis Starting Soon!

The group-counseling program at St. Francis High School is designed to meet the needs of all of our students. This year we again offer several groups. Group sizes are limited and registration is required. Please talk with your child about these groups. If you feel your child might profit from one of these groups or you would like to learn more about them,please contact Mrs. Rupp at extension 1104 or stop by in the Guidance & Counseling Department.

The groups we offer this semester are listed below:

I: Short-term Groups for Freshmen and Transfer Students : these groups are intended to help students with the adjustment to a new school setting.

II: Ongoing Support Groups: these groups are intended for children who are dealing with difficult situations in their families, such as parents’ divorce, family conflict, etc. They are also intended for students who would like to work on personal issues such as depression, self-esteem, and social isolation. Ms. Rupp will be running this group, which will meet once a week throughout the school year.

III: Grief Group : this group is intended for students who have experienced a significant loss in their lives (death of a relative or friend). Ms. Rupp will be running this group, which will also meet once a week throughout the school year.

Short Term Freshman Group Offered again during first semester! Sign Up Now!

As in previous years, a short term freshman group will be offered during the first semester. Starting at a new school can be a difficult time in a young person’s life. The excitement of “starting new” is mixed with the sadness of leaving familiar territory. Students may be wondering: “What will it be like? Will I be accepted? Will I be successful? What study skills & test taking skills do I need”. Fears of change can be overwhelming for some young people. However, with encouragement, this transition can be a positive new start.

For all of the above reasons, the Guidance & Counseling Department will again offer the optional six-week group for freshman. This group will meet once a week during rotating class periods. The group, run by counselors Mrs. Rupp and Ms. Sullivan, will offer freshmen the opportunity to meet new people, to learn more about St. Francis and ask questions in a small, non-threatening environment. The second component to the freshman group will be to help students work on study skills and test taking techniques.

The group will start in the first week of September.

Group size is limited and registration is required.

Contact Info: If you would like more information on this group or on any of the other support groups available at St. Francis, contact Mrs. Rupp at ext 1104 or email at arupp@sfhsnet.org.

Who is my child’s counselor?

Note that the alphabet division for counselors has changed from last year. It is listed below. Keep in mind that as a small school we can be flexible. If a student wants to remain with the same guidance counselor as in previous years, he or she is free to do so.

Several Parent Information Programs Scheduled for 2012-2013

• Several guidance information programs for parents will be held this school year. On Tuesday, September 11, Mrs. Rigney will present a program on College Planning. She will provide an overview of the key factors in college admission and selecton and explain the major steps in the college, scholarship, and financial aid application process. For parents who have not yet used the Naviance College Connection program, Mrs. Rigney will also review the features of this program. Because we now send all college documents electronically via the Naviance Program, it is very helpful for parents to be familiar with the steps their students must complete in Naviance. This informational program is open to parents of all grade levels but we strongly recommend that all parents of seniors attend this program. The program will take place in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center and starts at 6:30 PM.
• On Tuesday, October 2, Kevin Berce, a Certified Financial Planner with the College Planners, Inc., will present a program on college financial aid and how families can obtain the maximum amount of financial aid for which they qualify. This program is appropriate for parents of students of all age levels. Don't wait until your child's senior year to learn the ins and outs of college financial aid. By understanding the process now, it is much easier to plan for future expenses. Parents who are unable to attend either of these programs may contact Mrs. Rigney for a copy of the St. Francis College Planning Guide or request information on the services provided by Susan Daly of the College Planners. The College Planners will present programs at a number of other area schools this fall and St. Francis parents are welcomed to attend any of those other presentations. This program will take place in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center and will start at 7:00 PM.
• On Saturday, October 13, Revolution Prep will provide a free practice ACT test to any junior who wishes to take it. The test starts at 9 AM. This exam is strictly for practice and cannot be used for college admission. The mock exam will take place from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the north wing. In the fall, a special mailing will go out to all juniors in regarding this offer. Any student who wishes to sign up for the free practice test should do so by contacting Revolution Prep at 1-877-REV-PREP or www.revolutionprep.com.Revolution Prep will then provide an interpretation session for students and parents on Tuesday, October 23, from 7 PM to 8 PM in the Rosmonowski Room adjacent to the Learning Resource Center. Students will also be able to view their scores through their password protected account at www.revolutionprep.com.
• On Wednes day, October 17 , all sophomore students will be taking the PLAN test, a practice exam for the ACT. The test starts at 7:40 AM. Parents will receive the PLAN test results in the mail.
• On October 17 all juniors will take the PSAT test, a preliminary SAT and qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The exam starts at 7:40 AM. Highly qualified sophomore students may choose to take the PSAT test in lieu of the PLAN. This is most beneficial for sophomores who believe they may have the opportunity to score very well on the test as juniors and thereby earn standing as a National Merit Scholar in senior year. Because the PSAT is a challenging test that is designed for junior level students, sophomores who choose to take the PSAT should be strong test takers who usually score at the 80%--85%ile or better on standardized tests. Sophomores who wish to take the PSAT will need to sign up for the test with Mrs. Rigney no later than Friday, September 21.
• O n Tuesday, December 11 , parents of sophomores and juniors who took the PSAT may obtain the results of their sons' and daughters' tests by attending the parent information program at 6:30 PM in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center. The program will interpret PSAT test scores and will also include information on the ACT/ SAT tests and on the benefits of test prep programs. Mrs. Rigney will also meet with students in their English classes to provide test score information and interpretation directly to students.
• During February we will begin the process of registering students for courses for the 2013--2014 school year. As colleges continue to step up their course requirements, it is important that students carefully plan their high school program of studies. Parents who wish to help their children in course selection should attend the program scheduled for Tuesday, February 5, at 6:30 PM, in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center. Parents of current students, freshmen through juniors, are encouraged to attend this program. This program is not for incoming freshmen. Topics will include: typical high school courses required for college admission, how to make a four year plan, and understanding course prerequisites.

Revolution Prep offers on site ACT preparation course

During this school year St. Francis will host an on-campus ACT preparation course that is offered by Revolution Prep. Revolution Prep is the leading test prep company in the state of California, surpassing Princeton Review and Kaplan in total enrollment. Revolution Prep has now expanded to other metropolitan areas, such as Atlanta, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, and Chicago. The rising success of Revolution Prep is attributed to their personal attention, strong instruction, attention to critical reading and problem solving, excellent web resources, and affordability. The course includes five full length practice tests. Because Revolution Prep believes that test preparation should be available to all students, they offer generous discounts to students who need scholarship assistance in order to take the course. Students who need financial assistance for a course should complete the financial aid form which is available on the Revolution Prep webiste. The financial aid application is due a few weeks before the start of the course so students seeking a course scholarship should apply for it as soon as possible.

To make test preparation more convenient for our students, courses will be offered at St. Francis on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 PM to 6 PM in room 1115. On days when students take practice tests the course runs until 7 PM. The fall course starts on September 18 and leads up to the October 27 exam. The winter course will start on December 11 and lead up to the February 9 exam. Classes during the winter course will not meet during the week of final exams or Christmas vacation. There will also be a spring course that starts on February 26 to prepare students for the April 13 test. Classes during the spring course will not meet during spring break. A direct mailing from Revolution Prep will be sent to current juniors and seniors regarding these courses.

To register for the course or inquire about course scholarships, students should call (877) 738-7737 or go to www.revolutionprep.com.

St. Francis does not specifically endorse any particular test preparation program or only this program. There are many good options available to students, a number of which are listed on our Guidance webpage. St. Francis encourages students and parents to research several different programs and compare their philosophies, costs, and scheduling. Then select the one that is the best fit for the student.

Several college fairs will be held in the area this fall

• The NACAC (National Association of College Admission Counselors ) College Fair at Navy Pier will be held in Chicago on Saturday, September 29, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM . Over 300 colleges from across the nation will be in attendance.
• A college fair will be held at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove on Monday, October 1, 6—8:30 PM and Elgin Community College on Tuesday, October 2, 6—8:30 PM.
• All St. Francis students and their parents are invited to the annual College Fair at the College of DuPage on Tuesday, October 16. It will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 PM in the Physical Education and Community Recreation Center. Approximately 250 colleges, universities, and service academies from across the country will be represented. In addition, a Financial Aid Presentation will take place that evening at 6:30, 7:15, and 8:00 PM.
• The NACAC Performing Arts College Fair will be held at The Chicago High School for the Arts in Chicago on Sunday, October 14, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
• The dates for these college fairs and the spring college fairs are on the Guidance webpage under Guidance Dates and Deadlines.

How to Process a College Application

As seniors begin the college application process it is important that students and parents review procedures for completing the application and submission of letters and transcripts. Mrs. Rigney will meet with all seniors in English class in last August and give each student a copy of the 2012 College Planning Guide. The essential parts of this document can be found in the sidebar menu of the St. Francis Student Services webpage. The URL for this site is the following:

• http://www.sfhsnet.org/top/studentsvcs/guid-collegeplanning.htm.
• This document includes a timeline for college planning and step by step instructions for the completion of a college application. We ask that students and parents carefully review these instructions and follow them precisely. Failure to do so will delay the processing of student documents and could result in missed deadlines.
• Senior students should be in the process of completing their college search and narrowing their lists of potential colleges to 5 or 6 schools. At least two of these schools can be "reach" schools (i.e. schools to which the student may not be admitted but which are "worth a try"). Two should be fairly good options even if they do not guarantee admission for the student. Finally, at least two of the 6 schools should be "sure bets" (that is, affordable schools for which the student unquestionably meets admission criteria).
• Once seniors have defined their lists of colleges, they should access the application through the college’s website. Most students complete the application online. When completing applications, students should follow the directions contained in their hard copy of the College Planning Guide or on the College Planning Guide posted on the Guidance page of the St. Francis website.
• St. Francis has transitionied to the use of eDocs, electronic sending of documents, through the Naviance Family Connection program. Letters, forms and transcripts will be sent to most colleges admissions offices by St. Francis school personnel via the eDocs program. Therefore, it is essential that both students and parents are logged into Naviance and are well versed in how to use the program. Students must fullow the directions listed below and in the College Planning Guide to make sure that they have completed all procedures needed for faculty to send docments electronically. Students will be responsible for following up with teachers to make sure that documents are sent on time.
• Seniors need to be aware of admission deadlines for certain schools. For example, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, and Indiana University have a priority deadline of November 1 and the application must be received by that date and all school documents must be postmarked by that date. This means that students must turn in their paperwork to Mrs. Rigney no later than October 20 to ensure that the deadline is met. These schools will still accept applications after the November 1 deadline but students who apply by that date receive first consideration for admission and scholarship.
• Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Purdue University and DePaul University have a priority consideration deadline of November 15. This means students have the best chance for admission, scholarship or housing if applications are completed by that date. Students are wise to submit and mail all supporting documents well in advance of this deadline (around Nov. 1) to make sure that all materials are received on time.
• Marquette, St. Louis University, and many other private colleges have a priority deadline of December 1. Schools which offer an early notification or early decision option usually have deadlines of November 1 or November 15. Always check the college’s application information to determine the deadlines for posting or receiving application materials. Students planning to apply to large in-state or out-of-state universities should also complete applications by Thanksgiving to insure priority consideration for admission and housing availability. Furthermore, since colleges cannot make financial aid offers until the student is admitted, timely admission means better consideration for available financial aid from the college.
• For more information on college planning, go to the Guidance and Counseling page of the St. Francis website. Additional questions can be directed to Mrs. Trudy Rigney, College Counselor, at ext. 1105.

Steps a senior student must complete before faculty can send documents to colleges

Because St. Francis is now using the Naviance electronic documents to transmit letters, forms and transcripts to colleges, the students must first complete certain tasks or the faculty cannot complete the student request. (Note: the student must complete these steps. Parents logged into Naviance as the parent cannot complete these specific tasks).

STUDENTS: DO NOT REQUEST ANY LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION OR TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORMS UNTIL YOU DO THE FOLLOWING

• You must go into your account in Naviance and go to Colleges I am applying to.
• Make sure your application list is complete and accurate.
• You may need to move colleges from your “thinking about” list to your application list.
• If you have any colleges that accept the Common Application , go to the column titled, “Applying Via Common Application?” and if it says “Unknown” that means the college takes either the Common App or their own application.
• It is essential that the Naviance system knows which one you used.
• Click on “Unknown” and update to Yes or No.
• Make sure you click save/update at the bottom of the page.
• If you applying to any colleges via the Common Application , you must go into Naviance/Colleges I am applying to and complete the Common Application FERPA waiver.
• Complete the waiver
• Enter your Common Application user name and password. Make sure this is correct!! DO NOT GUESS on this. Do not use your Naviance user name and password for this step.
• If you are applying to any college using the Common Application , you must put the colleges on your destination list in the Common Application
• AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE ABOVE STEPS, You must complete the REQUEST FOR TEACHER RECOMMENDATION FORM that you print from the Student Services website.
• See the teacher in person and give him/her the form.
• Submit your request at least three weeks prior to your deadline
• Make sure it includes a complete list of college destinations.
• If, at a later point, you add more colleges to your list, you need to give the teacher a new form listing the additional colleges.
• You must go into your account in Naviance and go to Colleges I am applying to.
• At the bottom of the page is the online Teacher Recommendation request. Do this as well. You can include a note with special instructions or a simple thank you.
• Note that you must do both the online and the paper request.

• Give Mrs. Rigney a transcript release form for each and every school to which you apply (exception is U of I and Iowa which will require you to complete the Self-Reported Academic Record). You do not need to complete all transcript requests at the same time. Transcript release forms must be submitted at least two weeks prior to any deadlines.
• If you are using the Common Application, see Mrs. Rigney regarding her recommendation for your School Report form. Do so at least three weeks prior to any deadline.
• Don’t’ forget: Also go to www.act.org or www.collegboard.com and go to Send Scores and have your scores sent to your colleges. Mrs. Rigney/St. Francis cannot do this for you.

What you need to know about applying to the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign—important changes for this year’s application

If a student is planning to apply to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, there is an important change in the U of I application process that the student must complete. The following message tells students what they must do.

U of I does not require that St. Francis send an official transcript at the time of your application. So, unlike other colleges, you don't need to give Mrs. Rigney a transcript release form for U of I when you first apply. HOWEVER, U of I will ask you to complete the SELF-REPORTED ACADEMIC RECORD (SRAR) as an addition to your student application. To do this, you must print out a copy of your transcript from your STI student portal and look at that as you input and recreate your transcript in the SRAR. Make sure that the information that you are entering for the SRAR is accurate. You should allow around 30 minutes for the completion of the SRAR. You cannot begin the SRAR until you have also started the U of I application and the university recommends that you complete the SRAR after you have completed and submitted your application. Then if you are accepted to U of I and decide to go there, you will need to ask St. Francis to send an official transcript in the spring to verify that what is on your SRAR is correct.

For further directions on the SRAR go to the U of I admissions site/Freshman Application Procedures/Necessary Items to Complete Your Application.

When you have applied to U of I, mark in your Naviance application list that you have completed the application.

Also note that U of I will NOT read letters of recommendation so do not request them for U of I.

U of I has a November 1 priority deadline which means that your application and ACT/SAT scores must be received and on file by that date to have the best chance for admission. Remember, YOU must have ACT/SAT send your official test scores to your colleges. Neither Mrs. Rigney nor St. Francis can do that for you. Go to your account with ACT or College Board and go to Send Scores. Also, we no longer put any ACT or SAT scores on your transcript.

If you apply to a more competitive college or program within the university and do not qualify for that program but are considered admissible to the university, you will be given an alternate offer, usually to the Division of General Studies.

You may appeal an admission decision but must do so in writing using the document found at www.admissions.illinois.edu/pdf/appeal.pdf. Only one appeal will be accepted and the decision is final. Denial decisions are very rarely reversed and require new and compelling information not already included in the application in order to be successful.

U of I includes a question on the application in regards to whether either of the student’s parents attended the U of I. Legacy will be considered in the process but it will not make up for significant academic criteria.

Ethnicity will be a factor if the student is from an underrepresented minority group such African-American, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian.

Also, the U of I does not allow students to drop core courses at the semester from the senior schedule without approval from the university. Students who drop courses or move from honors courses to regular level courses at the mid-year point can risk having their acceptances retracted by U of I when the university receives the student’s final transcript in June. Because academic rigor of your senior schedule is a factor in the admissions decision, the U of I expects students to maintain enrollment in those courses and maintain solid academic performance in those courses throughout second semester of the senior year.

Students or parents who have additional questions about the U of I admission process should contact Mrs. Rigney or contact the U of I admissions office.

Naviance Family Connection provides excellent support for College Planning at http://connection.naviance.com

Students and parents are strongly urged to use the Naviance Family Connection college planning tool. St. Francis has licensing to use this web based program which provides assistance in all areas of the college search and application process. Naviance will also be used by St. Francis school personnel to send electronic letters, forms, and transcripts to colleges. All current students were shown how to use the program during the 2011-2012 school year. Students should log on using the user names and passwords they created when first introduced to Naviance. Parents of current seniors were emailed access codes last winter, but if they have not yet created a user name and password and have lost the access code, they may contact Mrs. Ellis at ext. 1142 to obtain the access code again. Mrs. Rigney will review the program with seniors in September and provide more training in the program for current juniors later this fall. If underclassmen or their parents wish to use the program, they may obtain the access code by contacting Mrs. Ellis.

The Naviance program already has password protected student information loaded into the system. When a student or parent logs onto the student account, he or she can complete a college search, create a resume, formulate a list of potential colleges, and check the college visit calendar. By clicking on acceptance history, scatter grams, college match, and college compare, the student can compare his or her academic credentials to the college’s acceptance history for St. Francis students from the class of 2006 through 2012. Once the student has applied to a college, the student can track when his or her transcript and recommendations were sent by St. Francis.

Since St. Francis now uses the Naviance e-Docs program to send letters, forms and transcripts via Naviance and Docufide. Because of this change, it is essential that students and parents use the Family Connection by Naviance.

The Naviance program has many other great features and is an indispensable tool in the college search and application process. If students or parents have questions or problems in using the program, contact Mrs. Rigney, College Counselor, at ext. 1105.

Update on ACT and SAT testing

Deadlines are approaching for seniors who need to take or retake their ACT and SAT tests. Parents who wish to stay on top of ACT and SAT deadlines should check the Junior and Senior College Information Dates and Deadlines flyer which was sent to all families in the summer mailing. All ACT and SAT test dates and registration deadlines are listed there. These dates are also listed on the Guidance and Counseling page of the St. Francis website. The first ACT test this fall will take place on September 8. If a student misses the late registration deadline of August 24, students can still do a walk-in/stand-by registration, but keep in mind that special procedures and extra charges are involved. The next ACT this year will take place on October 27 with a late registration deadline of October 5. If necessary, seniors can also take the December 8 ACT. Students should register for tests at www.act.org.

The first SAT offered this fall will be held on October 6 with a registration deadline of September 21. The next SAT after that is November 3. Seniors may also take the December 1 SAT. In addition, seniors who are applying to some highly selective colleges may be required to take the SAT Subject Tests which are offered on the same dates as the regular SAT. Students may register online at www.collegeboard.com.

Junior students usually begin testing with the December, January or February test dates. It is also important that juniors plan ahead to avoid conflicts with spring sports and activities. Also, all juniors should plan on taking the ACT or SAT at least two times before the end of junior year.

Since many colleges require that students take the ACT with Writing, the guidance department strongly recommends a junior always take the Writing section of the ACT (each time he or she takes the test). For details on ACT test content and requirements, students should pick up the booklet, Preparing for the ACT, which is available in the Student Services area. Students may also visit the testing company websites for more information.

ACT: www.act.org

SAT : www.collegeboard.org

The St. Francis High School Code is 144-383.

Important new guidelines for ACT and SAT Registration and Identification

The following enhancements have been implemented by ACT for the 2012-2013 testing cycle in order to safeguard a level playing field for all test takers and help ensure the continued integrity of ACT score results. Very similar policies have also been implemented for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests.

• Students will upload or otherwise submit (via ACT website, mobile device, or mail) a recognizable head-and-shoulders photo of themselves when registering for the ACT.
• The photo will be printed on the student's ticket, which the student will be required to bring to the test center in order to be admitted.
• The student's photo will also be printed on the examinee roster that testing staff use to check in students on test day.
• In addition to their ticket, students will be required to bring and present an acceptable photo ID on test day.
• On test day, test center staff will match the name and photo on the student’s ticket, the test center roster, and the student’s photo ID to the student who arrives to take the test before granting the student admission.
• In addition to submitting a photo, students will provide ACT with their gender and identify the name of the high school they attend. ACT will use this information to help match the examinee’s identity throughout the testing process.
• Both before and after testing, students will provide written affirmation that they are the person whose name appears on the test booklet and answer sheet which they have submitted. They will also acknowledge that assuming anyone else’s identity to take the test may be a violation of law and be subject to legal penalty.
• ACT will visit test centers to conduct enhanced test security procedures on test day, including collecting images of examinees during check-in and/or other security activities.
• After tests have been scored, the student’s photo will be printed on the score report that will be automatically sent to the high school attended by the student. Score integrity can then be reinforced by the people who know the students best—the teachers and counselors at their schools.
• To deter attempts to circumvent these procedures, students (including those who hope to test on a standby basis) will be required to register their intent to test and will not be allowed to make any test center or test date changes on the day of the test.

• The photo must meet the following requirements:
• Your photo must be a clear image of you—and only you—against a plain background.
• You must be facing the camera.
• You cannot wear dark glasses.
• If you wear a head covering daily for religious reasons, adjust it to provide a full-face view.
• Your photo must be added by the Photo Upload Deadline for your test date. The test dates and deadlines are listed below. If you miss the deadline, your registration will be cancelled and you will NOT be admitted to test. You will then need to request a test date change and pay the fee for the test date change.

• *Photo uploads are encouraged for the September test date, but not required.
• For more information go to www.act.org or www.collegeboard.com

Notify Counselors of Your Child’s Special Needs

If you are a parent of an incoming freshman or transfer student who has special needs or learning problems, we encourage you to contact your child’s counselor to discuss your child’s individual needs and determine what specific information you would like to have communicated to teachers.

If information on your child’s learning needs should have been forwarded from the child’s elementary school or junior high school, you may want to check with your child’s counselor to make sure this information was, in fact, sent to St. Francis. To explore this further, please contact Ms. Mary Kay Sullivan at ext. 1108.

Tutoring Referrals

Has your child had a very good experience when working with a particular tutor? If so, contact the Guidance and Counseling Department with the name and phone number of the tutor. We are always seeking additional tutors to add to our referral list. If you are seeking a professional tutor the Guidance Counselors can provide a short list of individual tutors, all of whom have passed a criminal background check. We can also provide a list of tutoring centers in the western suburbs.

Help your child become more responsible and organized this school year

Your child forgot his homework, so he wants you to drive it to school. He has not completed his English paper and asks you to let him stay home from school until he finishes it. Sound familiar? Teens aren’t always as responsible as we would like. Starting this school year, you can help your child develop the responsibilities he will need for the rest of his life.

Here are some tips:

• Give your teen as much responsibility as you can. Teens need a lot of growing room. Whenever you can give your teen a chance to make decisions independently, do so.
• Help your teen think about consequences. Teens tend to jump in without thinking. Encourage your teen to think about the results of an action before taking it.
• Make a plan. At the beginning of the school year, help your teen figure out a schedule. When is the best time to study? Developing a homework routine is important. Studying in the same place at the same time everyday makes doing homework a habit.
• Help your child with organization: Encourage your student to use the St. Francis Assignment book (contained within the Student Handbook). Purchase enough multiple pocket folders or binders. Color-code them to make different subjects easy to identify.